Children Of War
by MorningHell
Summary: [Alternate finale ending] Unsure of his motives and confused by his everchanging identity, Zuko struggles to cope with his suddenly nuetral world, and therein lies his most challenging enigma. A child made of stone. [Toko, Tokka, Kataang. Zukocentric.]
1. Chapter 1

_I have no idea what this is! It was a one shot that somehow grew more chapters somewhere along the line. I don't know where it's going, so if anyone knows, clue me in._

_**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Yes, this is yet another semi AU fic wherein Zuko chose to help Aang and crew during the season finale instead of siding with Azula. Why? I don't know—I felt like it. It's not because I think the writer's made a poor decision when it comes that particular issue. I mean come on, Zuko HAS to go back to the Fire Nation. Otherwise he (and we) may never have the opportunity to learn the answers to some of his disturbing family questions. And how else is he supposed to learn his father's real feelings for him once and for all? In closing, I hope they don't kill off Iroh._

* * *

The first time Zuko saw her, he had dismissed her as a warrior. When in battle there had been no time to look back and study each opponent any further than what type of bender they were and whether or not they were in the position to attack. Zuko had had other objectives then, and learning anything more than that would have only slowed him down.

The second time he saw her—that is, out of the realm of battle—a revelation dawned on him.

"She's just a little girl…"

He hadn't meant to say it aloud, as Katara was by his side and had clearly heard him. She looked between Zuko and Toph, her eyes lingering there with a friendly smile. "We all thought that when we first met her, too. But Toph's an amazing earthbender. She's only twelve years old and she's already practically mastered her element. She might look like just a kid, but she can handle herself better than most people." She sighed as she watched Sokka clumsily fall into the tent he was trying to set up. Toph shook her head and rose up her rock-forged shelter with the mere flick of the wrist. "Like Sokka for instance..."

"Mm." Zuko had replied minimally with dismay. She hadn't told him anything he couldn't already see for himself. She had reacted to his statement assuming he had said it with shock…as opposed to sadness.

Zuko was just nine when his uncle Iroh came to visit the Royal Palace one year, having received a month's leave from his duties. His visits were celebrated greatly by Zuko and his mother, even more so when Lu Ten accompanied him. Conversely, Azula and her father treated the affair with little more than disdain. This time the war general came alone, as he could stay no longer than a few days. Eager to catch up, Ursa had sent Zuko off to play with his sister and her friends so that the adults may talk. Zuko hated that, not only because he was forced to spend time with Azula, but because he was being treated like a child.

"It's not because they think you're a child." A seven-year-old Azula had taunted. "It's because they don't like you. But who can blame them?"

"Shut up, Azula." Zuko snapped. And things between them, as always, had escalated to a fight. And, as always, Azula had won. She hadn't even needed Mai or Ty Lee's help. A supremely frustrated and embarrassed Zuko had stalked off to find his mother, but as she was busy having a word with his father, he had sought solace in his uncle's comforts instead.

"It's not fair!" he had complained. "I train every day, I do everything I'm supposed to do. She barely trains at all and…and she can just do it!"

"Calm yourself, Prince Zuko." Iroh had said simply with a smile. "You have strong blood running through your veins. One day you will be a very powerful firebender, and your rivalry with your sister will disappear."

Zuko sighed. He certainly didn't believe that part. "But I'm nowhere near as good as her. What if I never am?"

"You can be as good as you want to be." Iroh assured. "Firebending takes practice, conviction, and passion. You are capable of offering all of those things. So you see, there is no reason you cannot become great if you are determined."

"Okay." Zuko had agreed. "Does that mean you'll teach me, Uncle? You're the greatest general in the Fire Nation, will you teach me to be like you?"

Iroh lifted an eyebrow. "As flattering as that is, Zuko, I have duties to perform. I have a whole army to lead."

"Then let me fight with you!" Zuko jumped up out of his uncle's lap with wide eyes. "That'd be great practice! I hate it here anyway!"

Iroh laughed loudly and patted his nephew's shoulder. "Prince Zuko, what a sad day it will be when we ask children to fight our wars."

The comment had bristled Zuko at that age, but he later understood. Perhaps that was what bothered him so now. All his life he had been treated as nothing more than a boy, and now he was suddenly among a group where he was the eldest, apart from his uncle of course. Even the Avatar, the one charged with bringing balance and peace to the earth, was only a child. _What a sad day it is, Uncle._ Zuko thought bitterly as he stared at Toph with sullen eyes.

Zuko tried to keep to himself, which surprised no one. Sokka would offer suspicious glares and mutters, Aang would sometimes attempt to strike up a nervous conversation, and Katara was the peacemaker, inviting him into the group when he stood uncomfortably to the side and chastising Aang or Sokka if they singled him out. Toph was the least subjective in the matter and said little regarding his presence. She didn't say much that wasn't either brusquely concise or painfully sarcastic anyway, so maybe it was better that she didn't. Iroh acted as though the group had always been together and often gathered them to tell stories or jokes. He and the cheery Aang got along especially, at which Zuko felt a strange twinge of jealousy.

Still, it was Toph who fascinated him the most. She was borderline abrasive, confrontational and unafraid with all the confidence of an adult. With her skill level, she was not someone easily imposed by many. Toph was tactical and alert, she treated her abilities like business, and she boasted nothing she could not accomplish. But in all consideration, she was just a child. A _blind_ child.

"No, it's true." Iroh's voice broke out, and Zuko shook out of his thoughts to watch his uncle address the group. "Chasing you wasn't easy. In fact, you might be surprised at how little time we were actually able to devote to capturing Aang."

Zuko simmered at the use of the Avatar's name by his uncle, crossing his arms tighter against his chest as he stared nonchalantly into the fire.

"It was especially difficult when we were trapped in the woods. We had no supplies and nowhere to go for fear of someone recognizing us as Fire Nation allies. We were forced to live off of nature, which turned out not to be as easy as I remember. Especially when you mistake a very poisonous plant for a delightful tea leaf!"

"I know what you mean!" Aang exclaimed. "Living off of the forest _is_ hard. Once we tried to rely on Sokka to catch us fish."

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Sokka snapped indignantly from his spot—which was as far away from Zuko as possible.

"I didn't mean anything by it, Sokka. Just that you're a terrible fisher." Aang assured.

Sokka glared. "Gee, thanks. Glad we cleared that up."

"So you both were poisoned?" Katara interjected towards Iroh, urging him to continue.

"Well actually, it was just me." Iroh corrected as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I have…a bit of a weakness."

"What did you do?" Aang folded his arms over his knees with wide eyes, and Momo flew down to perch on his shaved head as if listening with equal interest.

"We managed to find refuge in a small Earth Kingdom village where a very nice young woman gave me the antidote. She even brought us to her home and gave us a meal. It is comforting to know that we can count on the kindness of others to help us through our hardships." He cast a knowing glance at Zuko, who was exceptionally grateful his uncle hadn't continued the tale, but more so resentful that he was equating that situation to this one.

"Yeah. It is." Aang nodded. "If it weren't for some of the people we've met on our journey, I don't think we would've made it either."

"I am sure there are a great number of people who share a similar gratitude to you, young Avatar." Iroh pointed out. "Like those poor people in the Northern Water Tribe. Or…well, to be perfectly honest, us."

"We just did what we had to." Aang dismissed.

"Yeah, okay, okay. Puppy dogs, kittens and rainbows, we get it." Toph interrupted, standing up and stretching. "I'm going for a walk."

The group watched her walk off with little incident, Iroh's eyes following her just a tad longer. "She isn't a very social young lady. That I can certainly tell."

"That's Toph for you." Sokka said as he flipped out a hand. "All bark and…uh…all bite."

"Toph just doesn't like crowds." Katara defended. "I guess when you've been alone your whole life it's hard to get used to a big group."

"Well she's not exactly shy." Sokka pointed out. "And anyway, should we be talking about her behind her back? I can't blink without her hearing it."

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I could certainly use a cup of tea." Iroh changed the subject.

Katara, Sokka, and Aang all chattered in agreement as they rifled through their supplies for cups, while Iroh produced his teapot and began brewing over the small fire pit. Zuko took the cup that was offered to him when the process was finished, purely because his uncle did in fact brew good tea. He tuned out, however, as their tedious conversation continued. He was far from okay with the fact that his uncle was spouting out every embarrassing and mundane detail of their pursuing the Avatar, however he trusted the man enough to know that he wouldn't go spilling information that could possibly shame or pry into his past. Though the humiliation wasn't much better. Even so, he stared at Iroh every now and then with a heated glare that was a mixture of childish resentment and a hint of envy. _How can he speak so freely with them? Doesn't he know that they're still the enemy? He admonishes me for being private, while he spouts out our life story like it's some harmless fairy tale. He doesn't understand. He's just making himself easier to betray._

Although it was difficult to think that for long. He was full aware of Iroh's experience and wisdom, so when these thoughts would present themselves, Zuko would look away in a childlike guilt. He refused to add anything to the conversation, sipping his tea and slipping into a semi meditative state while he stared into the flames. But even that made him feel bitter. Fire had been his entire heritage, his entire source of power as well as for his nation. Now, in a depressingly apt analogy, all it was good for here was cooking a bit of tea. So instead he sighed and closed his eyes, blocking it all out.

At last he was able to forget that he was among so many people, and a wave of peace washed over him. Of course, this only lasted for an approximate second before a sudden weight thumped and clamped onto the back of his head. He opened his eyes irritably and was met by giant lemur eyes gazing back at him from a very upside down angle, and he ground his teeth. "Get off of me." He ordered. He despised the airbender's pet. It chattered incessantly and was constantly getting into the groups supplies. Feeling threatened, Momo scurried away, alighting into the air and back to the safety of Aang. Much to Zuko's relief, no one had appeared to witness the incident.

"Oh, Zuko," Iroh called. He picked up the teapot and shook it lightly. "Would you mind going down to the river and fetching some more water?"

Zuko battled a sneer and uncrossed his arms, wriggling himself up to his feet. It was better than sitting here. "Fine." He replied curtly before snatching the pot and wandering off towards the closest stream.

He was ultimately glad that he had decided to get up, as his legs were becoming stiff and the movement was clearing his head of sour brooding. He was tired of Sokka's scowls, Katara's fake smiles, and most of all Aang's genuine ones anyway. The only ones who hadn't passed some sort of judgment on him were Momo the lemur, who lacked the capacity, and Toph. But he didn't suspect she liked him much. The only times she had spoken directly to him thus far were to tell him he was in her way or that his uncle wanted to speak with him. He wondered if she resented him for being what he was, since his sister was the one responsible for the fall of Ba Sing Se. If so, he couldn't sense it in her demeanor. Though what was the point of wondering? None of these people would ever really accept him. The only person he had in the world was his uncle, an aging man who would one day too soon be gone.

Pushing the thoughts of a drab future as far from his mind as he could, he followed the sound of water and came upon the clearing through which it lay. But he was not alone. Sitting near the edge of the river was Toph, legs out in from of her and hands supporting her body behind her as she slouched and stared blankly out over the water. Ever connected to her element. Zuko looked down at the pot in his hand and pursed his lips, wondering if maybe he should refrain from bothering her and just leave, but what would he say to the others? The river dried up? He was pulled out of his dilemma quickly when Toph spoke.

"You're not very good at sneaking up on people, you know."

Zuko paused, unsure of what to say. How pathetic was it to be nervous around a twelve-year-old? "I wasn't trying to sneak up on you." He defended as he brought the teapot to the water and pretended to ignore her.

"Well you were sure staring at me long enough." She snorted in return.

Zuko shot a glance at her, only because he was sure she couldn't tell. "Fine. I'm sorry. I was just getting some water." He said in his usual monotone.

"And I thought Sokka was moody." Toph muttered. "You're both too high strung. Does it have something to do with the tight pony tails?"

Zuko hesitated for a long moment in confusion before speaking. "Actually I don't have it anymore. My hair is shorter. …How did you know I had a pony tail?" Granted, Toph's sonar-like sight was an impressive sense to behold, but he found it impossible that she could perceive past hairstyles from it.

"That's how they used to describe you." Toph shrugged.

Oh. Of course. Feeling like an idiot, Zuko shook his head.

"Other than some big freakish scar." She added unapologetically.

Zuko narrowed his eyes this time and contemplated walking off. He only managed to swallow that comment based on the fact that she had a disfigurement herself.

"So?" Toph pressed as though some question hadn't been answered.

"So what?"

"Is it really that bad?"

Zuko glared and decided that maybe it was a bad idea to approach her after all. "Is that really any of your business?"

Toph snorted loudly. "What's the difference? It's on your face for everyone _else_ to see."

Zuko paused, then grunted. "It's a burn. And yes, it's bad."

"Hm." Toph replied, seemingly willing to let it drop there as well as losing interest in his presence altogether.

Zuko stared down into the stream at his vague reflection in which he couldn't even make out the scar and pulled the filled teapot out of the water. He certainly wasn't in any hurry to get back to the rest of the group. And since Toph didn't appear significantly bothered by him, he resolved to stay a little longer. He stared at her in his peripheral vision contemplatively. '_I guess when you've been alone your whole life it's hard to get used to a big group.' _He couldn't help but wonder what Katara had meant by that. Was Toph an orphan of some sort? That would explain how she had learned to survive so well on her own with her blindness. Not to mention her less than noble appearance with her messy hair, oversized clothing not tailored to her body and her lack of common manners. But he would not answer questions regarding his past, so he didn't see fit to ask any to her. However, if he didn't start making conversation soon, she was going to wonder why it was he was still sitting here. She'd heard him fill the pot.

"Why aren't you with the others?" he demanded.

"Sometimes they talk too much." She offered in return. Then she said something unexpected. "I guess that's why I don't mind you so much. You and Appa anyway."

Zuko just stared out ahead of him. She didn't mind him is what she had said, but she might as well have said she loved him for as much as that surprised him. So she didn't resent him at all then. She didn't even dislike him. His guard went down just slightly and he rested back on his knees. "I see."

"That makes one of us." Toph leaned back on the ground with her arms behind her head, her statement given with an utter lack of bitterness or self-pity. It was a tone Zuko was very unfamiliar with.

"Why are you traveling with the Avatar?" Zuko continued.

Toph snorted. "Isn't that obvious? I'm teaching him earthbending."

"Oh." Zuko looked down, rubbing the teapot pensively. "And I guess the water tribe siblings are teaching him waterbending."

"Katara is." Toph confirmed. "The only thing Sokka could teach him is how to be a loud, obnoxious distraction."

"Hm." Zuko didn't question on the subject further because he was sure that Aang did not have a firebending teacher and he could only imagine where that would lead.

"Don't worry, I don't think any of them have the guts to ask you." Toph said as though he had spoken that concern aloud.

"A-ask me what?" Zuko returned somewhat defensively.

"You know."

Zuko paused for a long moment. "I'm sure my uncle would be _thrilled_ to do it." He relented bitterly.

"Yeah, probably." Toph shrugged. "Just makes me wonder what you're good for. Besides getting water, that is."

Zuko almost sneered, but instead simply cast his eyes down towards the water. He couldn't say anything to protest the fact he was indeed useless to them. "I never asked to be a part of this."

"Neither was Aang, when you think about it." Toph noted distantly. "But at least he stepped up."

Zuko really was annoyed at this point. "I'm not like him, okay?"

Toph sat up, crossing her legs with her palms on her knees. "Maybe not. But you've got more in common with him than you think."

"Like what?" Zuko glared at his reflection.

Toph felt a handful of dirt in her fist and slowly poured it into the water. "You know, sometimes I think airbenders and firebenders have an advantage. I mean they don't have to be around their element—they can just create it. Earthbenders and waterbenders can't pull rock and water out of thin air, you know. Katara has to carry that pouch around wherever she goes."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You and Aang. Your elements are similar. So see, you're not polar opposites. That and….you know, neither of you really have parents."

Zuko's hackles rose. "I _have_ parents."

"Oh." Toph didn't say anything for a long moment, frozen in thought. "You mean your uncle, right?"

"I-" Zuko began, but faltered. His irritation fell away and he found himself staring into the water again. "Yes. That's what I meant." He was tired of having to dance around his own personal questions. "What happened to your parents?" he asked as if it were a scathing rebuttle.

Toph shrugged again. "Nothing. They're still back in my village."

Zuko furrowed his brow. "You mean…you still have parents?"

"Yeah, sure. But I wasn't about to stick around there. If Aang hadn't come along I'd probably still be back there, pretending to be some little doll for my parents to play dress-up with."

So she wasn't an orphan at all. "Did they teach you to earthbend like that?"

Toph shook her head. "Are you kidding me? They didn't think I could use a butter knife without hurting myself."

"So then who taught you?"

"I did."

There was another moment of silence between them. How could she have taught herself to be a master? But just looking at her hardened body—very stiff and strong for that of a twelve-year-old—it was easy to see that she must have been bending since she could walk. No one would teach a child that young, especially a blind, seemingly helpless girl. "…When did you lose your sight?" he asked invasively, but for some reason he truly wanted to know. She could always not answer, he reasoned.

But the question didn't faze her remotely. "I don't know. I've been blind since I can remember."

"Oh." Zuko looked at her remorsefully. "I'm sorry."

"Why?" she snapped stubbornly.

His eyes grazed her reflection in the water, sitting there like some personal voyeur she would never know was there. "…You'll never see how…pretty you are." He swallowed quickly. He hadn't meant to say that, it had just slipped out. It wasn't even what he meant—not exactly anyway. Strong, imposing—all words he had been pondering before some idiotic voice in the back of his head convinced him that _all_ little girls liked to be told they were pretty.

Toph snorted, looking put off. With a heated look on her face, she climbed to her feet, and for all her wisdom beyond her years, Zuko was quickly reminded that she was still only twelve as she tossed up her hands claiming, "Boys can be so weird." and walked away presumably back to camp. Zuko stared after her in confusion for a long time before turning back down to the teapot with a small smirk.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** _I apologize for the chapter length so far. They seem average on Word, but when I upload them here I get dizzy scrolling down! Thank you for the reviews so far. Sorry for the ass-dragging when it comes to uploading. Enjoy, si vous plais._

* * *

"_I am sorry for your loss, my brother." _

_Iroh paid the voice little mind as he stared on at the grave of his only son, eyes so distant it made it seem as though his sorrow had driven him blind. Leaves were beginning to fall this time of year, shriveled blossoms falling onto the moistened earth over Lu Ten's freshly buried coffin. He felt a hand on his shoulder, but it was lithe and feminine as opposed to the stony hand of the man who had addressed him. He slowly turned to peer down at Princess Ursa, his brother's wife._

_Her eyes were sad, but nowhere near as distant. Unlike Iroh, she had not been so close to the deceased that having all her emotions at the surface would forfeit her sanity. "We are truly sorry, Iroh. Lu Ten was a wonderful man. A courageous soldier. He did us all proud."_

"_Yes." Iroh replied quietly. "He was all of those things."_

"_Ursa," Ozai's voice rang again from behind. "Leave us, so that I may speak with my brother in peace."_

_The woman paused, taking in the scene and looking between them before bowing her head and making her way back towards the palace. _

_Iroh didn't move to face his sibling. He knew that Ozai was not the type to offer true condolences, and royalty or not, Iroh was not about to listen to his little brother's cruel indifference. _

"_Surely I could not begin to understand your sadness." Ozai offered, but his voice suggested no true sorrow. "If it were my son, I would be beside myself with grief."_

_Iroh closed his eyes and struggled not to boil over at such a blatant lie. Should some travesty befall little Zuko, his father would most likely shed nothing more than a frown. How dare he compare such apathy to the love he had for Lu Ten. _

"_However I must say I am shocked by your return from the warfront. Whatever possessed you could abandon your post, Iroh?" Ozai continued, showcasing his true sentiments at last._

"_My son is dead." Iroh said. "There are plenty more to take his place, as well as mine. The army is more than capable of fighting without me."_

"_You all but had Ba Sing Se in the palm of your hand, and you threw it away. You are not loyal to your nation." Came the disgusted response. "Your mourning is understandable, brother, but not your cowardice."_

"_He was so proud to fight for the Fire Nation. He was a dedicated soldier and one of the greatest firebenders in his rank. But I suppose I could be a bit partial. He was, after all, my only child." Iroh said reflectively, ignoring his brother's accusations._

_Ozai was clearly annoyed by this lacking reply. "You are a disgrace, Iroh. How can you expect to be taken seriously as Fire Lord if this is the way you react in the face of adversity? If you run and cower at every casualty?"_

"_At a time like this, how can you expect me to care?" Was Iroh's only retort._

_Ozai was not pleased. Obviously he was trying to incite something. But when he made no impact, he simply cut straight to the point. "Father is instating me as Fire Lord and giving me the throne in his passing." He declared._

_Iroh very much doubted the likelihood of their father doing such a thing. Fire Lord Azulon had expressed no distaste for Iroh's return. He had even ensured the most lavish of funeral processions, and though useless it was, the gesture was not an empty one. His son was put to rest in a fashion befitting a fallen god. That at least had given Iroh the smallest glimmer of pleasure. "Take from me whatever you desire, Ozai." He said hollowly. "All that matters to me is gone."_

_Ozai hesitated for a long time. Apparently he hadn't expected Iroh to step aside so easily. But feeling himself victorious, he attempted to offer some form of consolation prize. "You shall be welcomed in this palace always, brother, for you are still royalty. Your reputation will still serve as an inspiration to the soldiers, after all." _

"_Thank you, Ozai." Iroh muttered. "Thank you for having the generosity to welcome me to stay in my own home."_

_Ozai sensed the thread of sarcasm and scowled, eyes darkening. How dare he speak that way when he was being offered nothing but lenience for the betrayal of his own nation. "This is still **father's** kingdom, unless you've forgotten." There was a long pause as he glared at his sullen brother, who still wouldn't even give the courtesy of turning around. "It is indeed a great loss. For your son was clearly a better man than you shall ever be." He left him with that as a last attempt to be scathing, heading for the palace himself to arrange to speak with their father on similar matters. _

_Out of all the things Ozai had said, it was only that which pricked tears in Iroh's eyes. It was truly the nicest thing his brother had ever said to him, intentional or not. He continued to stand by his son's side, filled with fluctuating emotions of guilt and self pity, anger and despair, and an overwhelming loss. His wife had passed long ago, and now his son was gone as well. What did he have to look forward to now? Lu Ten had been a handsome young man, a trait Iroh often jokingly attributed to himself. In truth, he had held his mother's beauty. He knew grandchildren to be on the horizon soon, as Lu Ten (also much like his father) had rambled nonstop about all the beautiful woman he had met on his conquests and fretted terribly over which one he would choose to become his wife._

_But that hope had been dashed. Now what was he to become but a lonely old man? Maybe Ozai was right. With no heir and no hope for the future, what kind of a Fire Lord would he be now? Iroh again closed his eyes towards his buried dreams. "Be at peace, my only son."_

"_Uncle Iroh?" called a small voice from behind._

_Iroh turned to see his young nephew staring out at him, having stopped a rather great distance for fear of either Iroh's mood or simply the stigma of being so close to a grave. He sighed as he looked on at Zuko, the wonderful young son that Ozai was not even grateful for while Lu Ten, the light of Iroh's world, was gone. "Hello, Prince Zuko." He greeted._

_Seeing that he was not met in an unfriendly manner, Zuko came closer, head bowed. "Mom said it was okay if I talked to you." _

_Iroh stared down at him patiently, but said nothing. _

_Zuko looked up slowly when he received no response this time. He was not crying, as he was still very young and had not been terribly close to the deceased, but he was clearly very genuinely sad. "I just…I just wanted to say that…I'm sorry about cousin Lu Ten."_

_Iroh paused painfully before offering an insincere smile. "Thank you, Zuko."_

_The two of them said nothing for a long while, Iroh staring back over at his son's resting ground and Zuko staring at his feet. "Uncle Iroh?" Zuko asked timidly._

"_Yes?"_

_Zuko almost seemed to reconsider his question, but asked it anyway. "Are you proud that your son died a Fire Nation soldier?"_

_Iroh knew his eyes to be clouded over already, but he shielded the boy from his agony by responding as calmly as he could. "…I would have never cared what he was. I did not want to see him die. I would have been proud of him even if he had not given me every reason to be." He turned away and added more quietly, "He did not need to die to win my pride. Or my love."_

_Zuko seemed especially affected by that. Iroh could imagine why. He almost felt guilty, bragging of his love for his son while Zuko had no true fatherly love to behold. Ozai had always felt as though their father had favored Iroh, and in return he had cruelly projected this feeling onto his own children and had sought to compensate by openly favoring Azula, his second child, and the one he equated to himself. To Ozai, children were nothing more than esteem—requirements to uphold his reputation as royalty and as a man who could prove he could pass on good stock. _

"…_I wish I was like Lu Ten." Zuko said softly at last._

_Iroh felt a stab to his heart. The image of his son, pale and lifeless, blood trickling down from lips that would never smile again, sat in front of his eyes like a hung portrait. Lu Ten had died needlessly for this war, and where he lay dying stood ten more boys like him in his place. To his kingdom, Lu Ten's life had meant nothing. Could Zuko really wish for something so terrible upon himself? Did he think then that his father would shed upon him the same attention Iroh shed upon his own? Without explanation, he gruffly embraced the young boy. A confused Zuko had simply stared out at Lu Ten's grave over Iroh's shoulder, wondering why it had upset his uncle so much just to express the desire to be a soldier. _

* * *

Iroh wasn't sure what reminded him of such things as he helped to fashion on Appa's saddle. Perhaps it was simply that he thought of his son every day since his birth. Or perhaps it was his brooding nephew, now sixteen and standing beside him that he was truly thinking of. Zuko, his second son, a boy he was extremely grateful had stayed out of the ranks of war. Even if Zuko's banishment had been devastating to him, Iroh was selfishly pleased by it. Ozai had sent him on a fool's quest and thereby steered him away from battle, whereas Iroh was certain his brother would have opted to get rid of his unfavorable son by depositing him in the front infantry. He often wished that Zuko knew his father's true intentions for him, but he could not bring himself to say such things for fear of so greatly upsetting him. But it was unfair, at the same time. Zuko was almost a man and here Iroh still kept secrets from him as though he were a child. And because of those untold and unproven truths, here still was Zuko, avidly trying to verify his worth to his father. Even now, when Zuko was standing between two sides of the war, he could never give up on winning his father back. Iroh knew that. And it worried him deeply. Even he could not say for certain where Zuko's true allegiance lay, and he did not want to appear a fool by imagining that Zuko would ever abandon his hope of returning home. No more than he would ever see Iroh as anything but an uncle. He had inherited Ozai's narrow-mindedness.

"What is it, Uncle?" Zuko said, breaking Iroh from his staring.

"Nothing, Zuko." The old man replied as he continued his work. "It is just…your hair is getting to be so bushy."

Zuko narrowed an eye, but shrugged it off and kept on his part of the saddle strap dutifully. _Why do you watch me, Uncle? What is it you're waiting for? Or have the others convinced you too that I might be untrustworthy?_ He thought bitterly, even if he didn't really believe that. His anger towards the other group members, however, clouded his judgment in all cases. He was getting especially agitated by Sokka.

"Hey, move it or lose it, dragon-breath!" said Water Tribesman called down from where he sat atop the saddle. "We're wasting valuable flying time here!"

"If you're in such a hurry, why don't you come down here and do it yourself?" Zuko growled back as he tightened the strap roughly—which caused Appa to jolt and Sokka to lose his balance and almost fall overboard.

Sokka panicked for a moment before finding a sturdy grip and scowling murderously down at Zuko. "You try that again and you'll get a boomerang in your good eye, you jerk!"

Zuko grit his teeth and clenched the strap as if to test that threat when Iroh cleared his throat next to him and gave him a glare. "Let us not start our morning with such hostility, nephew."

"But he—"

"I think you boys are just cranky because you haven't had any tea yet." Iroh interrupted. Sokka and Zuko stared off before turning away from one another crossly. "I think Katara is cooking us breakfast. Why don't you two go on ahead? I will finish up here."

Sokka muttered as he finished his task hurriedly, packing the rest of their needed supplies onto the front of the saddle and climbing down. "Oh great. Another mouth-watering meal of sticks and berries." He griped as they traveled back to the clearing.

The two of them marched off in silence and came upon the remainder of the group cooking breakfast indeed, Katara with a pile of fish on a seal skin next to her as she cooked them over the open flame. Aang was helping her while Toph sat back and listened stoically. Sokka gawked at the scene as he walked in on it. "Fish? How did you two catch fish?!"

"It was easy." Aang replied, exposing his suddenly bare feet. "Fish can't resist my toes!"

"And they don't suspect waterbending while they're chewing on them, either." Katara added.

Zuko sneered to himself, not at all pleased with the idea of dining on foot fish. He crossed his arms and sulked next to his uncle, who was already getting out the plates.

"Well why didn't anyone tell me? I could've caught a lot more than…" Sokka murmured swiftly as he counted over the fish with the finger. "Eight!"

Katara and Aang exchanged a look. "You were busy. And we all know we don't bother big important Sokka when he's busy." Katara taunted.

"Tell that to _him_." Sokka grumbled as he curled a lip at Zuko before wander to the fire and snatching a fish.

Zuko ignored whatever comment flew his way as well as Katara's chastisement of her brother's manners. He was not only unexcited to sit down with the group in another awkward meal, but also increasingly wary of their lazing about in one spot for so long. They had been in this location for almost an entire day now. How could Azula not have sent forces of the Dai Li as well as whatever Fire Nation faction was under her power hot on their trail? A group of raucous children wouldn't be hard to find, especially with an enormous furry beast in their possession. If they hadn't found them already, in which case they were waiting for the opportune moment to attack, they would be upon them shortly. But he was sure that anything he had to say to the others would be disregarded. He was no longer aboard his ship where his soldiers were ordered to obey him on pain of death, nor was he with his placating uncle. His word no longer held any weight.

Even still, how could they be taking their time? Their last encounter with Azula could have easily proved deadly no matter how much Aang had advanced in his multi-bending skills, and that was in a face to face fight. He found it difficult to believe that all of them could manage their way out of an ambush. More importantly, if the Avatar was so undedicated in his mission, how had he managed to evade Zuko for so long? He snorted and stared vengefully into the fire again.

"All I'm saying is that it wouldn't make anything _harder _on us if you'd try and get along with everyone!" Katara shot back at Sokka.

"Hey, I think you'd be seeing things just a little differently if it was Jet tagging along with us instead." He retaliated.

Katara was visibly upset by that accusation. "No it wouldn't, Sokka." She ground out. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe our survival _depends_ on our cooperation? We would've never made it this far if we'd been at eachother's throats the whole time!"

"Yeah, well, you could've fooled me!" Sokka thrust his half-eaten fish carcass at her in gesticulation. " 'Cause you've been at mine since you could talk!"

"Agh!" Katara yelled in frustration. "Fine! From now on, you do whatever you want, Sokka. Just don't come crawling to me when you have another fishhook incident!"

"That was _one time_!"

"Doofus!"

"Crybaby!"

"Hmph, whatever. …Toph, could you hand me a plate?" Katara dismissed him as she worked on pulling another cooked fish off the spit. When she received no response, she looked up. "Toph?" But Toph was no longer seated across from them, having vanished sometime in the midst of the argument.

Aang looked back and forth between Katara and the spot where Toph had been. "She was just here a minute ago."

"Well did anyone see where she went?" Katara asked as she stood worriedly. "It's not like her to just walk off without saying anything."

"I'd be surprised if anyone could get a word in with you two squabbling." Zuko snapped. They all stared at him. "I'll find her."

"Wh-but—" Sokka protested as Zuko passed and ignored him.

Zuko didn't look back to gauge the reaction of the others. He couldn't care less what they had to say about it. Though he resented the idea, Toph's statement had driven its way into his mind and had made him increasingly nervous about his standing. "_Just makes me wonder what you're good for."_ He didn't want to give anyone the chance to ask that. After all, he'd been running away from that question for years. The only thing he had ever been good at was being an heir to the throne of his kingdom, but now he had virtually no hope of being that. He had to do something at least. In any case, it was best to leave them before his mere presence incited yet another argument, as that seemed to be the norm.

His eyes scanned the forest around him, trying to use the best of his tracking skills to deduce which direction she had gone. Her trail was surprisingly difficult to follow—almost as though she had purposefully made her tracks to be eluding. Though why she would attempt to discourage anyone from following her was beyond him. Eventually, however, he came upon a small rise, and down the incline near an open lake stood Toph, blind eyes sharp across the waters and her figure stiff. Zuko contemplated approaching her more cautiously this time. He could very well walk away and inform the others of her whereabouts, since at this distance it seemed unlikely that she knew he was there. In the end he decided to retrieve her, as he did not want the blame if she wandered off further.

Zuko fought his way through the brush with one of his twin swords down the dusty slope towards the girl carefully. She was sure to hear him coming, and so when he made it to her, he didn't bother to make her aware of his presence with a greeting. Toph appeared grave. "I thought I heard something." She said to him. "But now I'm not so sure."

"What did you hear?" Zuko questioned with equal seriousness as his eyes suspiciously glared over the water.

"Voices." She replied quietly. "But they're gone now."

Zuko looked on at her before he peered back into the woods with narrow eyes. If Toph was right, all of his suspicions would be confirmed and the group was in immediate danger. He quickly began to study the area for signs of company. If they were here, they hadn't been here long. There were no traceable signs of fires that had burned or remnants of eaten food in plain view. After a few minutes of searching through the bushes and the surrounding water's edge, he came to no definite conclusion. "I don't see anything."

Toph didn't seem entirely convinced. "If you say so."

Zuko stared at her for a moment before starting his search over again, this time more slowly and in a wider range. It was then that he noticed a few pushed down sticks in the brush where the trees shaded on the eastern side of the lake. In the bare dirt next to them were footprints. His stomach sank.

"Did you find something?" Toph demanded as she approached.

"Footsteps. And they're not ours."

Toph pushed her foot into the dirt and felt the shape of the ground through unnoticeable vibrations, picking up on the indentation left by the track. "Soldiers. Heavily armored soldiers. But where did they all go? They couldn't've gotten far, but I can't hear or feel them anywhere."

Zuko stared down at the footprints with a hardened expression. "Let's get back to the others. Fast."


	3. Chapter 3

_So sorry for the delay! I've been without internet for about a week, and thusly dropped the company. I mean no online access and no explanation is ridiculous. Also, this chapter might feel a bit cut, but I had to stop for fear of it becoming a monster. I saved you from a monster. Tokens of your appreciation will be accepted at the end of the chapter. Thanks so much to all who are reading!_

* * *

"I'm sure it's fine, Sokka." Katara called casually to her brother as she cleaned up their messed supplies from breakfast.

Sokka glared at her over a shoulder, but still stood facing the forest with his arms crossed. "How can you trust him? You've seen the things he's done."

"Yeah, I have." Katara agreed. "Like helping us fend off Azula for one."

"Why are you defending him?" Sokka whipped around. "I mean come on, you saw the way he just snapped at us! What, do you have a thing for him or something?"

"You _know_ I don't." the young waterbender clenched a fist. "I'm not going to fight with you anymore, Sokka. I know you don't want Zuko in the group, but we might need him. And he and his uncle don't have anywhere else to go."

"How is that our problem?"

"That's really nice, Sokka." Katara put her hands at her hips. "But you're right. It's not our problem. In fact, none of this is our problem. Why should we be helping Aang at all when we could be safe and sound at home?"

"Hmph." Sokka snorted, turning back to the woods. "What's taking him so long, anyway? Is he picking us off one by one?"

"Toph can take care of herself." Katara reminded.

"Mm." Sokka offered another noncommittal grunt. "Look, I'm serious, okay? If you don't believe me then don't, but I don't wanna hear about it. Just go…clean something!"

"What's gotten into him lately?" Katara muttered to Aang as she turned back to him.

"Well, saving the world _is_ sort of stressful." Aang shrugged as he picked his teeth with a fish bone.

Katara sighed. "That doesn't mean he has to make it worse for all of us."

"I know, Katara." Aang offered sympathetically as he sat up and fiddled with the end of his glider staff idly. "But Sokka's always been kind of edgy, especially when it comes to firebenders. He always comes through for us in the end, though. He always has before, right?"

"Yeah, you're right." Katara agreed. "I guess it's just as important to try and get along with Sokka as it is Zuko."

"Just give them some time. I'll bet Sokka and Zuko have a lot in common. Maybe they'll make great friends."

"Well I wouldn't hold my breath on that." Katara folded her arms and looked around as something occurred to her. "I haven't seen Momo in a while. Did Toph take him with her?"

Aang hesitated before turning over a shoulder and scanning the tree branches that hung above the encampment. "No, he was here a minute ago."

"He'd better get back here. We don't want to leave him behind and we have to be on the move within the hour if we want to keep Azula off our heels."

"I'm sure he just went back to Appa." Aang reasoned as he stood up to help her gather the rest of their things. "Momo never goes very far."

"I hope so."

"You know, Azula just conquered the Earth Kingdom capital. That's something no one's ever done before. Maybe she's not thinking about chasing us right now. I bet she has lots of other things to do. She seems like the type that would celebrate a victory, anyway."

"I don't think there's anything more important to the Fire Nation than capturing the Avatar." Katara said as she stared off after Zuko. "…In any case, you can never be too safe, right?"

"Okay. I'll go see if Iroh needs any help. When Toph and Zuko come back, meet us there." Aang relented. He thrust his glider staff up into his hand with a gust of air and wandered off down the path where Appa had slept the night before.

Katara rolled up her seal skin hastily and looked back towards her brother. "Are you gonna help, Sokka, or are you going to pout?"

"I don't see them. Where are they? What could be taking so long?" he replied gruffly. "I'm starting to think we should go after them."

"Don't be so overly paranoid. Let's just get ready to leave. I'm sure they'll be back before then."

"…Fine. But if it turns out they were captured by Azula, I am _not_ hatching another rescue mission."

"Deal. Now grab that bag and come on." Katara hefted a few supplies onto her back and began making her way back to the others. "Aang! Wait up!"

Just as Katara stepped onto the wooded path, however, a large hand stopped her in her tracks, grabbing her by the braid and slamming her into the chest of some foreign body. She gasped, too winded to scream.

"Katara!" Sokka snarled as he went for his weapon, but before he could come to her defense, another hand sought the back of his collar and yanked him chokingly to the earth. His clubbed sword clattered away into the still-smoking pit of their recently doused fire.

"Sok—" Katara tried to call out, but a flaming hand at her throat shocked her into silence.

"I wouldn't scream if I were you, water brat." Hissed an unfamiliar voice. She could feel the blistering heat far too close to her throat for comfort, and so she agreed by keeping silent. Frustrated tears filled her eyes.

"Now…I'm sure you don't want to see this boy killed." her captor leaned down to her ear, making her shiver in revulsion. "_Where_ is the Avatar?"

"Let her _go_!" cried a young voice, followed by a tremendous blast of air that sent both of them smacking into a nearby tree. Katara was cushioned buy the armored body behind her, and his arms flew away from her as he hit the tree hard. She bolted from him, running to Aang's side with her water pouch now opened and her eyes searching desperately for more soldiers. Sokka was suddenly standing and rubbing his neck, looking at Iroh thankfully as the old man stood with a large rock in both hands over a second dizzy solider that was gripping his head.

"We have to get out of here." Aang ordered gravely. "We'll take Appa and search for Toph and Zuko from the sky."

They all took defensive poses as the forest around them crackled with life, and the clinking of metallic armor. The group slowly formed a tight circle.

"We may not have the opportunity." Iroh noted grimly.

* * *

"Listen!" Toph shouted, forcing Zuko to come to a halt. Toph nestled her feet into the ground and clenched her fists. "…Hurry, they've made it to the others already."

"Come on!" Zuko snapped as they quickened their pace to a run. He sliced violently through branches and saplings, cutting the fastest path possible back to the clearing. Scrambling uphill was no easy task, however, and they were panting by the time they made it over the rise. "Uncle!" Zuko cried out.

Toph stopped in front of him. "They're all around us."

Zuko looked down at her uneasily before catching a glimpse of movement ahead. Without thinking, he lunged with an angry cry, bringing one of his swords down onto the head of a materialized Fire Nation soldier. The man yelped in shock as the blade stuck a harmless rough quarter inch into the surface of his helmet, and he leapt around trying to pull it out as Zuko made his way to the next soldier.

"Zuko, look out!" sounded a voice he recognized as Katara's. A sudden stream of water jetted past his shoulder and smacked an oncoming soldier in the face. As he stumbled and spat, Zuko to the opportunity to send him flying into a gathering of rocks with a well-aimed fire blast. Another soldier went for him and hurled down a sword, intent on cutting the boy from shoulder to hip before a sharp wind caught the back of his helmet and forced it down into his face. The sword missed its mark by a mile, slicing into a tree trunk and sticking there with a wobbling twang.

Zuko looked around quickly to find the source of his saviors. The group was more or less scattered. Aang and Katara stood close, back to back. Sokka was facing off nervously with an irate firebender and Iroh was taking on three zealous attackers himself. Zuko had no idea how many soldiers were out here, but he knew that they couldn't afford to risk standing their ground. They had to get to the bison, assuming the animal hadn't already been discovered and subdued. He fell back as another firebender went after him, nearly singing the hairs off his head with a thrust of his fist. Azula had not underestimated the group; these were of some of the Fire Nation's highest caliber. But so was he. Zuko took the legs out from under his pursuer with a low kick and cracked his boot into the man's head before pulling clear of him. He drew his remaining twin sword as he heard a commanding voice among the fray.

"Take the Avatar down!" As the apparent leader said this, however, the ground beneath his feet shook and he toppled off balance. He noticed Toph immediately. She stood a few yards away, breaking the earth under many a soldier's foot. "You little vermin!" the man hissed under his breath as he flew gracefully to his feet and charged her.

"Toph, look out!" Sokka tried to call as he struggled with his soldier, having caught the commotion in the corner of his eye.

Toph raised a hand, waiting tensely for him to get close while simultaneously pretending that she couldn't sense his presence. She knew she had to hit him unexpectedly or he would merely deflect her attack. Unbeknownst to him, she already had a tremendous selection of earth sectioned out for him beneath her feet. He was successfully fooled—but unfortunately, so was Zuko.

The exiled prince was in front of Toph in the next instant, sword drawn, just as she had unleashed her block of earth. With the sudden realization, Toph thrust her arm to the side in a last moment attempt at trying to deflect the blow away from Zuko's body in her path. She only had time to swing it to a partial side, and it shattered next to Zuko and the attacking shoulder much too close for comfort. Fragments of the rock exploded near them, crashing into both and sending them rolling to the ground.

Zuko blinked dizzily and grabbed his head as he pulled himself to his knees in a cloud of dust, momentarily unaware of his situation. As soon as his hand found his sword, he stumbled to his feet to take it in. The soldier he had run to meet lay a few feet away from him, groaning in pain and armor riddled with dents.

"I think it's time for us to get out of this place." Iroh's voice cut through a sudden lack of commotion, and Zuko realized that there were no more Fire Nation men left standing.

"Uncle, are you hurt?" he asked raggedly.

"No, I'm fine. I think we all have managed well." The old man patted a flustered Sokka on the back.

Zuko disregarded Aang and Katara as he turned swiftly back to Toph. "Are you alright?"

Toph clenched her teeth and snatched Zuko by the collar, yanking him down to her level with a practical growl. He blinked at her in surprise as her eyes somehow accurately bore into his. "Listen here, Hothead." She snapped. "If you _ever_ get in my way again, I'll _bury_ you." She pushed him off roughly and marched back off to rejoin the group.

Zuko stared after her with a slight blush of embarrassment before slowly making his way back as well.

"Come on, let's get to Appa." Aang tried as he beckoned them all hastily with his staff. As he raised it, however, a gush of water darted by and cracked the staff out of his hand with such force that it pierced the ground several feet away and stood erect.

"I wouldn't say you're out of the woods yet, Avatar." A feminine voice made them all stiffen. Out of the slightly charred brush emerged more soldiers, but these were lead by a strange woman in Fire Nation robes. However, at second glance she was no ordinary looking Fire Nation woman. Her skin was dark, complimented by brown hair and cold blue eyes that watched over the group before them. "And there's only one way out as far as I'm concerned."


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N:** I know, I know, this took FOREVER to put up. I haven't had any time whatsoever to write lately. But I'm not just being lazy, I swear! I'm furiously hacking out the next chapter as we speak._

_Sorry about the lack of…shipping?...in this chapter. It's a little more action-centric, introducing my fabricated villain and hinting the conflict to come._

* * *

The party stared at their new threat with mixed feelings, mostly that of confusion. Not so confused that they weren't ready to attack, but lacking certain details, yes. "You're a waterbender!" Katara pointed out accusatorily.

Toph made a frustrated snort. "So that's why I couldn't find you. You were hiding in the water."

"Very smart, little earthbender." The woman nodded. "Unfortunately for you, I'm smarter." She folded her hands into the sleeves of her crimson robes and tilted her head to the side as she sized them up. "Nice job dispatching that decoy rank. It gave us ample time for the rest of our troops to get into place. I wouldn't try to run if I were you."

"Why are you doing this?" Katara demanded heatedly. "How could you help the Fire Nation? You're a traitor!"

"That's what makes me so valuable. You, on the other hand, are worthless to us, so I'd keep my mouth shut if I were you." Her eyes narrowed. "Now if we could just get to the point already."

"I'll go with you. I won't put up a fight." Aang held up his hands uneasily. "Just leave them alone."

"That's a temptingly noble offer, Avatar, but you miss the mark. Princess Azula has specific orders that _she_ will be the one to find and capture the Avatar herself. I would hate to disappoint her."

The group looked between one another before Iroh spoke up. "Then what is it you want with us, Miss?"

"I've been instructed by her highness to procure her brother's head." Her cruel eyes snapped to Zuko, burning into his face.

Zuko felt rage swirl up in his chest, fist curling on the hilt of his sword until his fingers turned red. He could sense Iroh tense behind him.

"Well, my prince? Care to make an offer as generous as your companion?" the woman encouraged.

Zuko's brow furrowed, biting his inner cheek as he tried to come up with a response. He couldn't allow the others to be put in danger for his sake. He certainly could not allow them to kill his uncle, which was of course his greatest concern. But he couldn't sacrifice himself either. He was the future Lord of the Fire Nation—this attempted assassination was treason. Surely if his father knew, he would punish Azula for this. But in the end he knew he was obligated to match the Avatar's offer. At least they would never be able to accuse him of being useless now. As he opened his mouth, however, he was cut off.

"He doesn't have to." Aang said severely. "You're not taking anyone."

"Aang!" Sokka whispered harshly. "What part of being _surrounded_ don't you get?"

"There's nothing we can do, Sokka. We have to make a stand." Aang explained as he stared the woman down.

"We can make a run for it back to Appa." Katara suggested.

"You could try and get away on foot if you'd like, but that pretty pet is ours if you do. Unless of course you leave the boy with us."

Aang's serious expression didn't falter as he slid into a battle stance.

The older waterbender was clearly not pleased by this opposition. "Just as impetuous as I would expect a twelve-year-old to be. If that's what you want, that's what you'll get. Order Peng to kill the animal—subdue the others." She ordered to her miniature army. And with that, the soldiers advanced upon Aang and his friends, the woman parting from them to go straight for Zuko.

This time the gang was expecting the attack, however these fighters were more skilled than the last batch. After witnessing her last display of skill two soldiers immediately went after Toph, and three mobbed Iroh purely because of his reputation. While they were busy, Aang, Katara, and Sokka were faced with a good handful more.

"Fall back, we have to make our way back to the bison!" Iroh hissed towards Aang and the others, facing forward just in time to block a flaming kick. His three opponents began a relentless assault.

Toph was struggling with her soldiers as well, as they continuously leapt away from her bending. They seemed to her to be able to dodge every rock and predict every earthquake, and she was hardly able to land a hit. All she succeeded in doing was evading their attacks in return, but even so that put them at a quickly tiresome stalemate. Aang was furiously trying to fan away the flames flying in his direction while Katara continued to douse the attacks falling on her, both trying their best to help Sokka, who was unfortunately not as skilled a warrior as the Fire Nation elite. " 'We don't have a choice, Sokka!' " Sokka snapped at Aang as he dodged a waft of flames licking at his head. " 'We have to stand our ground!' Great plan! Did any of that involve _surviving_, by chance?"

"Don't let them single us out!" Iroh barked. One of his attackers lay unconscious on the ground before him. "Band together so we may fight them as a unit!"

Seeing no better option, they obeyed, slowly backing down towards one another. The soldiers regrouped as well to compensate their reunification. They were still outnumbered and things were beginning to look grim. Iroh spared a worried look in his nephew's direction.

Zuko had reclaimed his second sword and was circling off with the female waterbender, eyes focused on hers in anticipation of her first attack. Even if he would have relented himself to the Fire Nation in order to spare his uncle, he never intended to go down without a fight. A stream of water aimed to wrap around his ankle, but he sidestepped just in time to avoid it. "You're going to have to do better than that." He said as he glowered at her.

The waterbender smirked and Zuko suddenly felt a bone-shaking clout to the back of his head before registering that his shoulders were now soaked. He stumbled forward, snarling at her as his hands began to grow flames.

"You were saying, your highness?" she taunted.

Zuko lunged, bringing down both swords and severing her next wave of water just inches from her finger tips. She caught him with her other hand in the center of his chest and vaulted him clear over her head into the brush behind her. Zuko collided with the earth hard, but was instantly on his feet again with his swords crossed in front of him. So she had been battle-trained. Judging by what he guessed was roughly a ten year age difference, that did not bode well for him. In a bizarre ounce of what could be considered luck, however, Katara had helped him gain experience when going up against a waterbender. She still stood smirking at him. He scowled and threw his weapons down, preparing to fight her element to element.

The woman threw a blast of water at him without hesitation, which he barely diverted with an upward flame that instantly shielded him with a small barrier of evaporation. With that came a barrage of water whips against a torrent of fire that Zuko held onto firmly to protect himself. He moved from side to side, ducking and dodging his way around every attack, firing what seemed like futile bursts of flame into his enemy's serpent-like water streams. Every attempt to wound her was snapped up by an arm of water, another sprouting in its place to seek revenge. What seemed to be eons passed in their battle and she didn't even look like she'd broken a sweat. In the meantime, Zuko was panting heavily. "Give up, prince?" the woman crooned with aggravating composure. Zuko looked up with narrowed eyes and lunged.

"Ahhh!" Iroh cried as he hurled his fists to the side into an attacking soldier's stomach, bringing him to the ground in a coughing fit. The old man turned swiftly back to the group to see the other Fire Nation fighters being pushed back inch by inch under Aang and Toph's apocalyptic array of flying earth and ice. He quickly stepped in to add his own fire into the mix and at last, with two soldiers successfully crippled, they seemed to be gaining an upper hand. But that was a matter of how long they could last. Aang was obviously exhausted, throwing blast after blast of all manner of worldly weaponry in his enemies' direction. Streams of bullet-like rocks, waves of thick, blinding mud, razor sharp whips of water, and powerful bursts of air that could easily throw a man twenty feet away broke free from every movement he made. It was beginning to take a rapidly weakening toll on his body. A twelve-year-old had no opportunity to learn endurance, especially when considering that he had yet to master the patience and stamina that came from learning to firebend.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this." Aang voice the obvious aloud as he pushed himself harder. Katara was in agreement, as she had very little water left to work with. If they could somehow move then back towards the river she could gain an advantage, but at this distance and with as little left as they had in them, that was a clear impossibility. Luckily, Iroh still had quite a bit of fire in him. He had been distracted the soldiers with flame after flame to allow the others to hit them, but now he saw that he had to take matters further. Gathering up all of his remaining energy, Iroh concentrated in preparation for a devastating blow.

Near them, Zuko was again finding himself buried in the dust, cradling his ribs as he rose to his knees to face his opponent. There were so few waterbending masters these days. He didn't know how she could possibly be as good as she was. Nevertheless, he continued to stare her down. Daggers of flames extended from his hands as she advanced a step towards him. Suddenly, an explosion and a flash of light blinded him, and several soldiers began to yell. When his sight returned, small tendrils of electricity were receding from Iroh's fingertips and the entirety of the Fire Nation soldiers were dazed and smoldering as they lay near the tree line. Only the waterbender was left standing, staring it what appeared to be shock as she absorbed Iroh's ability to bend lightening. Her expression quickly hardened however, and she turned back to Zuko with a snarl. The rest of the group looked on, unsure if they should intervene when the soldiers began to get up again.

"Nice try." She said as her frigid eyes bore into Zuko's. "But you aren't going anywhere until we get what we came here for."

Zuko tensed in anticipation for another attack, but just as she raised her arm, a sudden flash of white leapt in her path. She nearly lost her balance as what was now identified as Momo latched onto her face, screeching in a mixture of terror and confusion as he held on for dear life. With a muffled, irate cry, the woman snatched the lemur by the tail and proceeded to try and tear him away.

"Now's our chance! Go!" Aang cried out as he waved his arm frantically back towards the woods. Iroh stayed by Aang while Toph, Sokka, and Katara obeyed, Zuko remaining in hesitation as well.

The waterbender finally detatched the animal from her by encasing him in a sphere of water, hovering it above her hand as she scowled at the animal in revulsion. "You're going to regret that you flea-bitten mongrel!" She threatened. A fast gust of air broke the surface of the sphere and freed the soaked lemur before she could make good on that.

"Zuko, run!" Aang reminded as he caught a frazzled Momo in his arms and followed his own advice.

"Zuko!" Iroh chided.

With one last death glare in his would-be assassin's direction, Zuko scrambled up and bolted after his party.

They rushed through the dense forest, unaware if may soldiers may emerge from the shadows and storm them. All that mattered was getting to Appa—or, perhaps, getting to the place where Appa had once been. When they arrived at the scene, none of them were sure where their luck lay. Appa was still there, but, as had been previously suggested, he was subdued by ropes and a smattering of more soldiers. Patches of his fur were singed or torn away, but at least he had managed to avoid serious injury by throwing the enormous fit he was. He threw is head in rebellion, lashing his tail and stomping all six of his legs to protest his capture. His movements could almost be described as panic as this occurrence was all too reminiscent of the first time he had been kidnapped. Aang rushed in and instantly took out a soldier holding a rope on his neck. With that single link broken, Appa tossed the man away on the other side with a harsh bob of his head and pulled away another at his foreleg with his teeth.

Mounting their ride was extremely difficult. He was far from free yet and flying while virtually nailed to the ground was out of the question. Toph sought to remedy this nuisance immediately. Sectioning out the ground around Appa's feet, she pushed him up into the air on a pillar of earth. The ropes snapped and the soldiers fell a dizzying feat to the ground below. Aang hurtled himself into the air with Katara and Sokka's shoulders in his grip to land on Appa's back while Toph broken another rising pillar under herself, Iroh, and Zuko. Being back in Appa's saddle felt like waltzing back into paradise, even if they were still dodging flames. "Let's get out of here! Yip yip!" Aang panted as he tightened the reins. Appa gladly complied, darting off into the sky.

Down below the Fire Nation soldiers gave up their assault, seeing that their target had escaped to where they had no way of following. They slowly receded back to their leader, who was staring after the bison with contempt.

"What shall we do, Commander Bataka?" one asked.

The woman sneered slightly before her expression fell back into cool composure. "They'll have to land eventually…Zuko's quite attached to those little urchins, isn't he? I wonder just how far he would go for them."

"What do you mean?"

"Zuko himself is too clever a fighter to be separated from the group. When they land next, we're going to find ourselves a hostage to persuade him."

"But who?"

Bataka smirked as an image of one of the children sat in her mind. "Oh you just leave that to me…"


End file.
